For many of us, our tall boots are one our biggest investments into our riding attire.  Yet, so often our boots suffer as they are worn for long hours walking through sand footing, in and out of wash racks, not to mention all of those hours spent gathering sweat build up from our time in the saddle.  

So much effort is put into carefully breaking our boots in–but so often once broken in boots become an everyday staple of our riding attire and are subject to the stresses of daily use.

It is imperative to protect your investment.  So often when boots are brand new, rider’s tirelessly clean, condition, and polish them to achieve that perfect break-in and ultimately a great fit.  It is also the case that often times, once a boot is broken-in and comfortable we become more relaxed in the way we care for them.  With the daily time constraints we all face, taking the extra time to wipe down, condition, and polish our boots with each use is often over looked–however this should not be the case.   With routine care your riding boots will provide you years of good use!

Looking Good--Well Cared For Konig Dress Boots

The Four Essential Care and Feeding Tips for Maintaining Your Riding Boots

Keep Them Clean–Take time after each and every ride to wipe your boot down completely.  This step is surprisingly easy and quick–Use a damp sponge or cloth.  Wipe down the outside and inside of the boot and clean sand and other debris away from the sole.  Never use saddle cleaning products as they are not designed for the French Calf Leather used to manufacture today’s tall boots.

Konig Boot Care Kit

Shine ‘Em Up–Polish is the greatest resource in your tool kit.  With some elbow grease and a little boot polish the most worn boots can look new again!  From traditional boot polish kits to convenient all-in-one polish daubers there are products available to help you buff out scratches and restore your boots luster.  Konig’s  Boot Polish Kit puts everything you need at your finger tips–polish, dauber brush, cleaning brush, and buffing rag.  Other easy to use polishing products include Kiwi Quick Shine and Meltonian Cleaner and Conditioner.

Herm Sprenger Boot Trees

Standing Tall–Keep your boots in good shape, literally, by storing them with boot trees whenever they are not in use!  Always, make sure to store your tall boots with boot trees placed in the leg of each boot.  These inserts are designed to help you boot to maintain it’s shape–this is essential for maintaining a correct fit, reducing excessive wrinkling at the ankle of the boot, and ultimately ensuring that your boots look great and perform at their best!  For stiff Dress boot styles it is recommended that you use the Herm Sprenger boot tree.  This metal boot tree is designed to fit correctly within the ankle portion of a Dress boot for optimal support of the boot’s construction and design.  For Field boot and softer Dress boot styles riders may prefer the traditional plunger style boot trees.  These trees are ideal for boots that do not have a “stay in the back strap”–a common feature in stiff dressage boot styles–as they run the length of the leg.

Don’t Forget the Feet–Last but certainly not least, always use a cedar foot tree when storing your boots.  These easy to use cedar foot inserts not only help keep the foot of your boot in great shape, but they also draw out and absorb moisture.

With proper care and correct storage you will be able to enjoy your boots for years to come!